This discusses the informal economy & the black market in Quiapo and how it affects the film public sphere along with key parties involved: politicians & businessmen. It also highlights the importance of pirated films in shaping and exposing Filipinos from the lower classes to art but consequentially killing the film industry business as well. By: Joses Sacilioc, Ma. Veronica Santiago, Cathie Fullente, Kimberlyn Beltrano Far Eastern University, 2012

1. CASE STUDY ON THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS ON
THE CLOSING OF QUIAPO AS A CINEMATIC PUBLIC SPHERE
JOSES SACILIOC, MA. VERONICA SANTIAGO, CATHRINE FULLENTE, KIM BELTRANO
Far Eastern University, Department of Communication, S.Y. 2011-2012
Cherish Aileen A. Brillon, Thesis Adviser
Maria Zorayda A. Torres, Communication Research Faculty

2. Quiapo was listed in United States Trade Representative (USTR) report as one of the more
than 30 Internet and physical markets around the globe that serves as a notorious hub for
piracy and counterfeiting. The list dubbed as ‘Special 301 Review of Notorious Markets‘
described Quiapo as “one example of several locations and neighborhoods, especially in
Metropolitan Manila, known to deal in counterfeit and pirated goods such as clothing, shoes,
watches and handbags.” (www.pinoyambisyoso.com, 2011).
QUIAPO

3. PROBLEM STATEMENT
What are the political and economic implications on the closing of Quiapo
as a cinematic public sphere?

4. OBJECTIVES
OF THE STUDY
To determine the role of
Quiapo in the distribution
process of films in the
mainstream industry.
To enumerate the political
and economic reasons
why the pirated stalls in
Quiapo were closed down.
To identify the implications
of closing down Quiapo as
a cinematic public sphere
to the following:
Cineastes, Pirated Sellers,
Film Industry

5. SCOPE AND LIMITATION
• Qualitative study
• Encompassed the areas of Quiapo which sold pirated films before and
after the piracy ban
• Politics of the city of manila and OMB in terms of their fights against
piracy
• Politics of the film industry in terms of distribution
• Informal economy of piracy in Quiapo

6. SYNTHESIS OF RELATED LITERATURE
• Piracy as “Globalization from Below”
• The Chinese and Muslim Piracy Pushers
• Piracy as an Informal Economy
• Intellectual Property Rights
• Public Sphere

7. Fig. 1. Researchers’ Model of Jurgen Habermas’ Public Sphere Theory

8. Fig. 2 Researchers’ Model of Ideological State Apparatus

9. Fig. 3. Researchers’ Model of the Public Sphere Theory and The Ideological State Apparatus

10. INSTRUMENTS
KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEW - CONVENIENCE SAMPLING
Pirated Film Sellers (3) – Mad, Khaire & Takuleng

11. FOCUS INTERVIEW
OMB Chairman Ronnie Ricketts; OMB Secretary Dennis Pinlac; Mayor Lim; Raymond Lee; Jet Leyco

12. FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION
PURPOSIVE SAMPLING
Cineastes (5)
Katherine Greta Mendiola (Kathy); Brian Gonzales; Dannella Suguitan (Nella);
Reichelle Ann Santos (Reich); Marie Louiese dela Cruz (Lulu)

13. SITES OF ANALYSIS
• Quiapo as a cinematic public sphere
• The political implications on the closing down Quiapo
• The economic implications on the closing down of Quiapo

14. DATA ANALYSIS
Thematic Analysis
Theme 1 Cinematic Public Sphere
Theme 2 Quiapo and its Pirated Film Sellers
Theme 3 Quiapo and the Cineastes
Theme 4 The Philippine Film Industry
Theme 5 Quiapo and the Philippine Government

15. CINEASTES
"Pag nagpunta ka ng mga, halimbawa Video City, Astrovision,
PowerBooks mga ganun, napakalimited ng choices mo dun, usually mga
mainstream Hollywood movies, compared sa Quiapo, napaka-diverse
kasi ng selection nila nung films, kasama kasi dun yung mga luma ng
films na usually hindi mo na makikita sa mga video stores. So, in a way
napaka-helpful ng Quiapo dahil it offers a lot of diversity in terms sa film
selection natin at a cheaper price of course."
– Brian Gonzales, FEU Film Society Alumnus

16. PIRATED FILM SELLERS
" Kasi dito po sa Quiapo, wala
kang ibang ilalagay dito na
mabebenta mo. DVD lang po.
Kaya DVD lang ang naisip naming
itinda dito sa Quiapo.“
– Mad, pirated film seller
"Kasi ganito ate, nung nagtinda
kami ng ganyan, e ginusto talaga
namin. Kahit bawal pinili naman
'to. Kasi mabenta 'yan e, eto ang
mabenta [sa Quiapo].“
– Takuleng, pirated film seller

17. MANILA CITY HALL
“if they continue to patronize this, malulugi ang mga producers ng
mga films natin. So it affects the modernization of the making of the
local films. Pati artista mawawalan ng trabaho. Kasi kung laging lugi
ang kanilang pelikula, sinong producer ang gagawa ng kanilang
pelikula?”
– Alfredo Lim, Mayor of Manila

18. OMB
“Hindi ka plastik, you dont do that just because it made you or our
office popular. Naka-score kami ng maganda. Sa mga sellers kasi
kailangan mo yan i-explain, hindi lang one time ha, dapat all the time.
Kwento ka ng kwento, paliwanag ka ng paliwag. Pero pag ma-tiyaga
ka, at nakita nilang sincere ka, pati sila tinatamaan. It takes a while, but
thing is, andun yung result. May kinalalabasan”
- Ronnie Ricketts, OMB Chairman

19. FILMMAKER
“officially closed nga ang quiapo for
piracy, pero sa tingin ko, di pa ito
offcially close sa buong mundo. kaya
malaki ang possibility na babalik at
babalik pa din to”.
- Jet Leyco, Director of Ex Press

20. FILM PRODUCER
“Kasi yang pagsara ng pirated films, expected na yan, but they
should have a more positive approach. Dapat nagkakaroon ng
advertising campaign or pr campaign, saying na we have good films
na gawa ng artists, na we should patronize them by watching these
films but not for free. No to free screenings”
- Raymond Lee, Executive Producer of Zombadings

21. DISCUSSION

22. • Quiapo and its wide diversity of films
• Affordability of pirated films
• Original films and pirated ones has
same content
• The implementation of piracy ban and
lost of source of literacy to students
• Quiapo as a public sphere where it
mediates between the state and its
people
To determine
the role of
Quiapo in the
distribution
process of
films in the
mainstream
industry.

23. • The closing of the pirated stalls was basically a
tactical plan by the Philippines
• complaints from citizens but had a greater
weight when it was mentioned in the
international review.
• majority of the pirated film sellers were
Muslims.
• The Philippine film industry is suffering because
of piracy.
• Pirated films still exist even though there is a
piracy ban.
• Quiapo’s political reasons why the pirated stalls
were closed down rooted from its image and
the enforcement of law.
• The economic reasons rooted from the price of
the pirated films.
To enumerate
the political
and economic
reasons why
the pirated
stalls in Quiapo
were closed
down.

24. • Cineastes had lost one of their access
for rare films
• Pirated Film Sellers lost their main
source of income
• Film Industry can still feel the threat of
piracy despite of the Piracy ban in
Quiapo
• Ideologies between the state and the
people serve as an intervening factor
on Quiapo being as a cinematic
public sphere
To identify the
implications of
closing down
Quiapo as a
cinematic
public sphere
to the following:
a. Cineastes
b. Pirated Sellers
c. Film Industry

25. CONCLUSION
• As long as there is technology, piracy can not be easily eliminated.
• The closing down of Quiapo has a great effect to the future of the film
industry.
• If Quiapo permanently stops its piracy operation, it will help the
Philippine film business industry to prosper, but it will consequently kill
the access of potential creative filmmakers to a wide array of film
selection - making them less exposed to the world of film.

26. RECOMMENDATIONS
Practical!
• A review of piracy law in the Philippines
• Cinema movie tickets on movie houses should decrease its price.
• Other form of livelihood to pirated film sellers.
Research!
• Consider focusing on Quiapo as a social space
• More focused study on the culture of piracy in the Philippines
Theoretical!
• Utilize Anthony Giddens’ Structuration Theory in future studies

27. CASE STUDY ON THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS ON
THE CLOSING OF QUIAPO AS A CINEMATIC PUBLIC SPHERE
JOSES SACILIOC, MA. VERONICA SANTIAGO, CATHRINE FULLENTE, KIM BELTRANO
Far Eastern University, Department of Communication, S.Y. 2011-2012
Cherish Aileen A. Brillon, Thesis Adviser
Maria Zorayda A. Torres, Communication Research Faculty